Washing-machine



(No Model.) 3 Shets-8heet 1. J. L. WEST.

WASHING MACHINE. No. 571,501. Patented Nov. 17, 1896.

NTITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. WEST, OF NOBRISTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,501, dated November 1'7, 1896.

' Application filed May 17,1395. Serial No. 549,663. (NumodelJ ing clothing in which the clothes are cleansed by forcing through them a quantity of suds or other liquid, and has for its object to provide an improved construction of apparatus by the use of which the clothes may be rapidly and effectively cleansed without danger of destroying or wearing out the garments.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing-machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same on the line 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is an inverted perspective view of the perforated casing of the chamber within which the clothes to be washed are placed; and Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view 011 the line 5 5, Fig. 3, illustrating on an enlarged scale the means of securing the guide-bars to the side of the casing.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the outer casing or tub, preferably provided with suitable supporting-legs B to elevate the tub at a slight distance from the floor. This tub is lined with zinc or other suitable sheet metal, so as to render it waterproof, and has a cover 0, which when the machine is operating is locked to the tub by the engagement of pivoted locking-bars c on the cover, with fixed hooks a projecting from the tub.

The opposite ends of the tub are provided with centrally-arranged vertical slots D, and on the ends of said tub at each side of the slot are secured guiding-bars E, serving to guide a block F. The guiding-bars E are secured to the side of the casing A by means of slotted connecting-plates E, in the manner shown in detail in Fig. 5, each plate being secured to one of the bars E by a screw 6 and each plate being secured to the end wall of the casing or tub by a bolt 9, passing through a slot g inthe plate, the length of the slot .being at a right angle to the length of the guiding-bars, so that such guiding-bars can be moved toward each other to compensate for wear between the block F and the guiding-bars.

Near the upper corner of each end of the casing is pivoted a link H, carrying a lever H, one end of each lever being connected to a pin 2', projecting from the slide-block F, and the opposite ends of such levers being connected together by a handle-bar 7, which the operator grasps while working the machine. If the machine is a large one, any excessive weight of the clothes-containin g chamber may be counterbalanced by weight, placed upon these levers H.

Within the casing A is a vertically-1n ovable chamber or clothes-box L, having a perforated bottom and perforated side and end walls to permit the free passage of the cleansing fluid, and on each side of the chambercasing are vertical guiding-plates Z, adapted to guideways Z, secured to the inner side walls of the main casing A. At each end of the casing L are plates M, having projecting lugs m, the outer squared ends of which rest in pockets m, formed in the upper portion of the slide-blocks F, so that as the latter are moved vertically the casing L is given a similar movement.

In order to strengthen and brace the sheetmetal casing L, it is preferred to connect the two end plates M by a bottom channel-bar P, extending across the bottom of the casing L, and the guide-bars l, on the opposite side walls of the casing L, are also connected together by bars 19, formed of wood or metal, but preferably formed of wood, so as to lessen the weight of the casing.

Within the casing L is a horizontally-arranged perforated presser-plate or plunger Q, held loosely to the upper cover by a series of long vertical bolts R, each bolt being sur rounded by a coiled compression spring 1', which serves to hold the plate in its lowest position, the springs yielding under pressure of the clothing, and during the washing operation, as the chamberLis raised, yield to a considerable extent, while the bolts slide freely through the openings in the cover. It is preferred to provide a short section of metallic or necessary suds or other cleansing liquid is poured into the tub. Thecover O andpresser plate are then placed in position, the cover being locked inpla'c'e by turningthe' bars 0 until they engage the hooks a; on the sides or the tub. The operatorthen" grasps the handle h and operates it vertically to" a some: spending movement to the casing L, the cloth ing within the chamber being squeezed be tween the bottom of the chamber 'and the presser pl' ate; and the suds with which the clothing :issaturated are forced through all portionso'f the fabric, thepressure givenbe'ing to some extent; by the quantity of clothing within the casing 'andthe'amounto'f veruear movement given tothe casing I51. *A's the'ca'sing is raised the clothing is lifted out of the water, "and the greater portion of thewater, after being forced through the clothing'," es-* capes through the perfora'tion's" in "thewalls andbottom of the casing, andtlien, "as nieces-'- in'g descends again into' the water, thciounng again becomes saturated 1 and upon the nezit upward movement is again squeezed, so that aftera short =tin'1e*-it will be thoroughly cleansed. After the washing operationis coim' pletedthe cover and pre'sser-plate" are Temoved and the" handle h iSlllOVGd down'until it assumes the p'osition'show'n' by the dotted and"dash*lines, 'Fig.=2, when thelever may be locked in this position by hook t engaging a cross bar t, andthe casing maybe tli'us held up out of the water until the clothing isdrained. 3

In' cases Where a large number of machines are to be operated the I pins" "6 on the blocks F in a'y be connected directly; by means of a short arm, with a crank in "a power-shaft. --Havin.g thus described my'in'ven'tion, What I claimjand desire-"to secure by'Letters Pat ent',is

1. The combination of the outer casing and removable cover, a I perforated clothes-containing 5 chamber; mechanism connected with said'clothes-containing chamber for posi tively reciprocating the same in avertical line in said casingyan automatically yielding, perforated presser-plate provided-in saidclot-h'e's containing chamber having guide-bolts, R, and compression-springs, substantially as described. i?

2. The combination of the outer casin g having slotted end Walls, a guided block arranged opposite'ea'ch s'lot,'a clothes-containing chamber comprising a perforated casing having end plates, M, lugs, m, projecting from said end plates and adapted to recesses in the guided blocks, guides within said outer casing fort'he clothes-containing chamber, a perforated presser-plate, and springs acting to deress and hold said presser-plate within the clothes-containing chamber, with means for 've'rtically reciprocating the guided blocks,

substantially as specified.

3, The combination of the outer casing or tub, a 'rernovabl'e"cover, O, thereon, pivoted locking-bars, 0, carried by said cover, hooks,

' a, on the outer'casing with which said lockingbars" are atlapte'd' to engage, a perforated frbin thmugn openings'in the' cover; lsprings,

- rf'r surrounding bolts, sting iiits; r ontlie upper ends of; said bolts-and a V61;

tically rnovablje perforated clothes contain ing chamberin said" casing or tub, 'substan tially as specified 4); The combination of the outer casing or tub" I] wings1 ted end walls guidebars, E,

adjustablys ed tos 1dendwallsoneither sideofthe'slbts in thecasing,guided'blocks, ,'a(:1a" pted: tothe gu ae bars at'each endjof the casing or tub, a perforated clothes-con? tainin chamber; L,Within sai d easing or tub, mg m, projecting from the opposite ends of a the clothes containihg' chamber and adapted to recesses "in*tl 1"eblocks,F, "a perforated presser plate, springs acting to depress the same and means for vertically reciprocating the guided blocks, Ffsubstantially specifiedt 1 "I. i ,1:- i i i- *5. The combination of. theouter casing or tub having slotted end Wall's, guide-bars, E, adj us'tabl-y secured to s'aid'walls on either side a of the casing' s'lot's', guided blocks',F,'adaptfed to the guide bars at each "en d'ofithe casing or tub, leversfllfipivoted to said blocks, swinging links, "H, carrying 'said levers,"'the perforated clothes-containing chamber, endings, m, thereon adapted'to recesses in the blocks, F, a perforated,presserfplate, andsprings acting to depress said"presser-plate, substantially as specified.

'6. The combination of, the outer casing or tub'having slotted end 'walls,"li1iks, H, pix' fote'd to said end walls, lever's;"l l", carried by said. links, a connecting handle, h, and cross-bar, 25, extending betweenand'connected to said levers, a securing-hook, t, adapted toengag'e' with said cross-bar, If; guided" blocks, F, to which the levers, H, are connected, a'perforated-clothes-containing chamber," endings, m, tl'iereonadaptedto recesses in the blocks, F', a perforatedpres'ser-pl'ate and springs act ing to depress said presser plate, substantially'as specified,

7. Thecombinationof theoutercasing or tub having slotted end Walls, the guide-bars, springs acting to depress said presser-plate, E, slotted holding-plates, E, carrying said substantially as specified. guide-bars, bolts, g, passing through the end In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Walls of the casing" and through the slots in hand this 14th day of May, A. D. 1895.

5 the holding-plates, a b10ck,F, guided by said JOHN L. WEST.

bars, a perforated clothes-containing cham- WVitnesses:

her, end lugs thereon adapted to recesses in EDMUND S. MILLS, the blocks, F, a perforated resser-plate, and HORACE PETTIT. 

